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Dartmouth College Health Service
5-7 Rope Ferry Road, #6143
Hanover, NH 03755
Phone: 603.646.9400
Fax: 603.646.9450
E-mail: Dick's House
Dear Entering Student,
On behalf of the employees at the Dartmouth College Health Service, I want to tell you how delighted we are that you made the decision to join the Dartmouth community, and we look forward to serving your health needs while you are in Hanover. The Health Service is known on campus as Dick's House—an abbreviation for Dick Hall's House—which was donated to Dartmouth College by the Hall family in memory of their son Richard Hall ‘27 who died of polio during his sophomore year.
Most of you will interact with at least one of our Health Service staff providers at Dick's House during your time at Dartmouth. The Primary Care and Preventive Medicine Department offers students the opportunity to select one of our Primary Care Providers (PCPs) to help provide consistent and individualized medical care. The Counseling and Human Development Department is staffed with counselors including psychologists, psychiatrists, and social workers who are available to discuss a variety of concerns facing Dartmouth students. Nurses are available in the infirmary/inpatient department 24/7 during the fall, winter and spring terms. In addition to providing care for overnight admissions, they provide telephone and in-person assessments of the medical and counseling crises that you may encounter when other departments are closed. In addition, students may choose to fill their prescriptions at the Dick's House Pharmacy which also accepts prescriptions transferred from your hometown pharmacy. The Health Resources Department sponsors wellness programs to help students recognize and make informed, healthy decisions. In addition, most office visits to the Health Service include an educational component to help students learn to stay healthy.
I would like to introduce some issues and topics that you may confront as a student and to provide you with on-campus resources available to assist you. These campus and wider societal concerns are worthy of discussion with your family and advisors prior to your arrival on campus.
There continues to be a popular myth that all college students drink heavily. However, National surveys and data from Dartmouth students present a more complex picture. At Dartmouth, the majority of students drink in low-risk ways and a significant number of students choose not to drink at all. Still, we know that high-risk drinking occurs on campus and can affect academic, interpersonal, social, and residential life experiences.
Dartmouth offers programs for students beginning to struggle with choices around alcohol and other drugs as well as programs for students with well-established abuse problems who are seeking ongoing support. Weekly (on-campus) Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings are held for students. Additionally, substance-free housing options are available. The Health Service also offers education, individual and group counseling, and medical treatment for students with AOD-related issues. Drug and Alcohol Peer Advisors serve as a referral point for alcohol-related resources on campus, and are trained to respond to and advise other students about alcohol use and misuse. For further information, contact Brian Bowden at 603/646-9474 or Counseling and Human Development at 603/646-9442.
Dartmouth is committed to minimizing the negative effects of alcohol and other drugs on campus. Students are expected to be aware of state and local laws and College policies related to the possession or consumption of alcohol as well as the consequences. The minimum legal age for purchasing, possessing and/or consuming alcohol in New Hampshire is 21. We realize, however, that alcohol is available to and consumed by underage students. As such, Dartmouth has developed a Good Samaritan (Good Sam) Policy to encourage students to obtain timely medical assistance for themselves and/or their intoxicated peers. For more information, visit the Dean of the College website: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~deancoll/documents/goodsam.html.
We ask for your help in supporting your peers who want to abstain from alcohol, encouraging moderation for those who do decide to drink, and ensuring that information about available resources is offered to those who show signs and symptoms of problem drinking.
Top of pageOver the past several years, college campuses have noticed a worrisome increase in the use of tobacco by students. There is increasing publicity in the national media clearly linking serious medical problems with tobacco use. If you are currently a smoker and would like to stop smoking, you may contact Brian Bowden, Coordinator of Alcohol and Other Drug Education Programs at 603/646-9474 or make an appointment to speak with one of our primary care providers at the Health Service by calling 603/646-9401.
Top of pageEating behavior abnormalities are a concern on our campus as they are on most college campuses. Professional help for students and their concerned friends is available at the Health Service. In addition to individual appointments, therapy groups are available for students with a wide range of eating problems. All visits are strictly confidential. To make an appointment with a nutritionist or psychologist, call 603/646-9442. To make a medical appointment, call 603/646-9401. For more information about eating disorders or healthy eating, contact Claudette Peck, Coordinator of the Nutrition Education Program, at 603/646-9442.
Top of pageThe Health Service is actively involved in increasing awareness of sexual abuse and in sending the message to our community that sexual abuse is not tolerated. The Coordinator of the Sexual Abuse Awareness Program is available as a resource for students with any questions about sexual abuse in general and offers support and referral services for students with individual concerns about sexual abuse in their lives. Programs are offered to student groups on topics such as sexism, date or acquaintance rape, relationship abuse and sexual harassment. For more information, call Michelle de Sousa at 603/646-9430.
Top of pageThe Health Service believes it is important for students to know about health issues related to sexuality, sexual expression and gender identity. Clinical providers in Primary Care and Preventive Medicine (PCPM) and the Women's Health Department are available for consultation, examination, testing, treatment, prescription and education. Some of the topics addressed include sexuality, sexual orientation, pleasure, abstinence, contraception, sexually transmitted infections and gender identity concerns. Complete gynecological care (including pelvic examinations and pap smears) is also available. To schedule an appointment with a medical provider in PCPM and/or Women's Health, please call 603/646-9401 or go the Dartmouth College Health Service link in the BANNER webpage.
Top of pageHealth Resources trains students who want to be available to help their peers in these areas:
Students can reach their Peer Advisors through BlitzMail Bulletins.
The Health Service also sponsors the Peer Education Action Corps (PEAC). The goal of the PEAC program is to create a dedicated corps of "health opinion leaders." PEAC training is offered once each year and consists of 8-10, 2-hour weekday afternoon sessions plus an overnight weekend retreat. This is a leadership-oriented training program for students interested in learning the facts about serious issues such as alcohol and other drugs, depression and mental illness, disordered eating, healthy relationships, sexual abuse, gender identity, cultural differences, as well as other issues. Students completing PEAC training earn one Physical Education Credit and a Dartmouth College Health Opinion Leader Certificate. These students often go on to join other specific peer education groups. To sign up, please contact Kari Jo Grant, Coordinator of Health Education Programs at 603/646-9431.
Top of pageAll entering students have some anxieties about how they will perform academically and how they will fit in socially while at Dartmouth. Experiencing stress is a normal response to being challenged during a period of change. Often individuals do their best work when they are under stress; however, too much stress and anxiety can lead to a decreased level of performance or to a state of anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression can be treated successfully. The Counseling and Human Development Department is available to discuss in a confidential setting any stress-related issues you may be experiencing. Free anonymous online screening is available. For more information, call 603/646-9442 or visit http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chd/.
Top of pageDartmouth has grown stronger as a result of increased diversity within its student population with regard to socioeconomic background, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion. Accepting another's differences and learning from these differences will be among the opportunities, responsibilities, and challenges you will encounter while a student at Dartmouth. Occasionally, stress arises as a result of learning to understand and accept yourself and others. If you experience stress associated with issues of this nature, the Counseling and Human Development Department is available for consultation, evaluation, short-term therapy, and referral. For more information, call 603/646-9442 or visit http://www.dartmouth.edu/~chd/.
Top of pageIf you are planning a trip abroad, call the Health Service to see if a Travel Clinic consult appointment is recommended. Depending on your travel destination, you may need immunizations and anti-malaria medication. To be effective, travel-related vaccines should be administered at least one month prior to travel. Travel Clinic consults are not booked during the final two weeks of the term. Remember to contact the Health Service well in advance so that you can have a safe and healthy trip. Note that not all health insurances cover Travel Clinic expenses at locations outside of Dick's House. The only Travel Clinic expenses that are covered by DSGHP are those obtained at Dick's House. For more information, call our Appointment Office (603) 646-9401.
Top of pageOver the years, one issue which seems to cause the most disagreement between students and their Health Service providers is the prescribing of antibiotics. It has been well-documented that antibiotics have been over prescribed to young healthy patients presenting with illnesses that are most commonly caused by viral illnesses.
At the Dartmouth College Health Service (Dick's House), we are committed to the appropriate use of antibiotics. We adhere to the advice of national organizations that have used evidence-based studies to arrive at their recommendations. We realize that some students have been accustomed to being prescribed antibiotics for many common problems such as bronchitis, sinusitis and upper respiratory illnesses, which are usually viral. The providers at Dick's House evaluate each patient and then decide whether antibiotics are indicated based on their clinical judgment educated by the national guidelines. We are fortunate to be able to follow up with ill students, allowing us to make adjustments in treatment strategies if there are changes in a student's medical condition.
Top of pageOver the last few years, there has been increasing concern over viral respiratory infections including seasonal influenza as well as Novel H1N1 (Swine Flu). Over the last year, it has become clear that newer strains of the influenza virus may pose a significant risk not only to our campus but also to the world. The College has a committee that has been meeting for several years to implement plans to minimize the effects a pandemic could have on our campus.
This coming year, we definitely anticipate that there will be seasonal flu and most likely Novel H1N1 flu throughout the country. Dartmouth will be arranging clinics to provide the seasonal influenza vaccine as well as the newer H1N1 vaccine when it is developed. In addition to getting vaccinated, the best way to protect ourselves and our community from influenza outbreaks is to practice good hygiene.
The Health Service will continue to provide updates concerning emerging medical situations. We encourage you to periodically look at Dartmouth's emergency preparedness website: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~news/features/prepared/.
The Dartmouth College Health Service is available to assist you with your immediate health needs and to provide you with educational resources to help prepare you for a successful career at Dartmouth and a healthy, productive life.
Sincerely yours,
Jack Turco, M.D.
2009
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